Ford

The Ford Motor Company, commonly referred to as Ford, is one of the world's largest car and truck manufacturers. Brands include Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury. Ford owns a 33% controlling stake in Mazda and also controls the Land Rover, Jaguar, and Volvo brands. Ford family members own about 40% of the company's voting stock. In 2006, the company had sales of $160 billion, with a net loss of $12.6 billion. Founded by Henry Ford.

Ford and fuel efficiency standards
While Ford has sought to re-position itself as a 'green' manufacturer, it remains an opponent of mandatory fuel efficiency standards. On its website Ford states that "market based initiatives, not mandated increases, are the best method of improving fuel economy." 

While arguing in favour of market based mechanisms, Ford makes it clear it wants Congress to provide incentives to stimulate demand. "We are working with environmental organizations and Congress to create consumer tax credits to encourage and accelerate the purchase and market acceptance of advanced technology vehicles, such as hybrids and fuel cells," it states. 

Ford, the Sierra Club & SUV's
Readers of the Sierra Club's magazine know it runs glossy full-page ads from car companies selling hybrids. Now the Sierra Club is also mobilizing its members and launching a marketing campaign to help Ford peddle its latest SUV the Mercury Mariner, which has a reported fuel efficiency of 33 city, 29 highway miles per gallon.

In June 2003 the Sierra Club took out a full page ad in the New York Times to coincide with the company's 100th anniversary. "1903-2003: A Century Of Innovation ... Except at Ford", the ad stated pointing out that the Model T Ford travelled 25 miles for each gallon of petrol. 

Has the Sierra Club's love of hybrids devolved to greenwashing Ford? The Club's Dan Becker says, "If we can work with Ford to make their Mercury Hybrid a hit, Ford will be convinced that you can make money and make a vehicle that's clean." But Rainforest Action Network (RAN) director Michael Brune counters in the New York Times, "It's a nice gesture, but we think it's more PR than progress." With the PR firm Fenton Communications, RAN and Global Exchange are cranking up their Jump Start Ford campaign, shaming Ford for having the worst fuel efficiency of any major car company.

Pushing Gas-Guzzlers
Sales of gas-guzzling pickup trucks are softening due to high gasoline prices, so PR Week reports that the Ford Motor Company has launched a series of PR stunts aimed at pumping up sales to country folk, including sponsoring a monster truck rally, NASCAR races, and a marketing arrangement with country singer Toby Keith to have a video play at the beginning of Keith's concerts, showing him driving an F-series pickup. Meanwhile Toyota, "one of the few automakers currently doing very well," is holding seminars to talk up the fuel efficiency of its hybrid pickups. Which strategy is working? Ford's CEO has talked big about being an environmentalist for years, but has repeatedly reneged on its promises to build more fuel-efficient vehicles while his company loses money and market share.

"Had Mr. Ford produced more fuel-efficient vehicles like hybrids sooner," observes the New York Times, "he not only would have found his company keeping pace with nimble foreign competitors like Toyota when oil prices spiked, but he also would have been able to illustrate the bottom-line merit of his environmental values. Instead, Ford, is again in the all-too-familiar spot of playing corporate catch-up."

Political contributions
Ziad S. Ojakli, Group Vice President of Government and Community Relations (lobbyist) for Ford, is a Bush Pioneer having raised at least $100,000 for Bush in the 2004 presidential election.

Ford's website said of Ojakli, "He leads a team that helps shape policy and legislation that promote the company's core business objectives including areas of tax, litigation and regulatory relief for business, energy reform, automotive safety, international trade, and improvements in the nation's health care and pension systems."

As part of the government-industry revolving door, before working at Ford, Ojakli was Deputy Assistant to George W. Bush for Legislative Affairs, the President’s chief liaison to the U.S. Senate. Before joining the White House staff, Ojakli was the Senate liaison for the Bush-Cheney Transition Team.

Ford's political action committee (PAC) gave $316,900 to federal candidates in the 05/06 election cycle - 23% to Democrats and 77% to Republicans.

Lobbying
The company spent $9,100,000 for lobbying in 2006. Of this total, $1,235,000 went to eight lobbying firms, including Ernst & Young, Fierce, Isakowitz & Blalock, Alpine Group, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, Bryan Cave Strategies, and Hogan & Hartson.

Personnel
Key executives and 2006 pay:
 * William Clay Ford Jr. (Bill Ford), Chairman and Chief Operating Officer
 * Alan R. Mulally, Chief Executive Officer, $19,170,000
 * Lewis W.K. Booth, Chairman of Jaguar Brand, $850,000

Selected members of the Board of Directors:
 * Stephen G. Butler, Retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, KPMG
 * Edsel B. Ford II, Director and Consultant, Ford Motor Company
 * Irvine O. Hockaday, Jr., Retired President and Chief Executive Officer, Hallmark Cards
 * Jorma Ollila, Also Chairman of the Board, Nokia Corporation, Finland; Chairman of the Board, Royal Dutch Shell plc, The Netherlands
 * Gerald L. Shaheen, Also Group President, Caterpillar, Inc.
 * John L. Thornton, Also Professor and Director, Global Leadership Program, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
 * William Clay Ford, Director Emeritus

Contact details
1 American Road Dearborn, MI 48126 Phone: 313-322-3000 Fax: 313-845-6073 Web: http://www.ford.com

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Government-industry revolving door
 * Greenwashing
 * Eli Whitney Debevoise

External resources
"Feature: A Better Way to Build an SUV", Sierra Club, undated.

External articles

 * Sierra Club, "Ford's New Gas-Guzzling SUV Wins "Exxon Valdez" Award", Media Release, February 25, 1999.
 * Kari Lydersen, "Eco-Campaign Against Ford Kicks Off", Alternet, June 12, 2003.
 * "Sierra Club Applauds Introduction of Ford's Hybrid Escape: Statement by David Hamilton, Director, Global Warming and Energy Program, Sierra Club", Media Release, August 4, 2004.
 * Jumpstart Ford Coalition (Rainforest Action Network, Green Century Capital Management), "Shareholder Resolutions Target Ford's Policy Failures: Emphasis on Gas Guzzlers has put the company at risk. Shareholders ask Ford's Directors to align executive compensation and lobbying policies with increased gas mileage", Media Release, May 12, 2005.
 * "Ford Motors' 100th Birthday", Media Release, June 3, 2003.
 * "1903-2003: A Century Of Innovation ... Except at Ford", Newspaper Advertisement, June 3, 2003.
 * "Former Sierra Club President to Run For Ford's Board On Company's 100th Birthday: New Ad Calls for Innovation on Fuel Economy", Media Release, June 3, 2003.
 * Jon Hewett, "2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid To Be Ordered Online", Media Release, July 11, 2005.
 * "Sierra Club Applauds Introduction of Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV", Media Release, July 11, 2005.
 * "Ford's Mercury Mariner Hybrid: A Better Way to Build an SUV", Sierra Club, July 11, 2005.
 * "FreedomFromOil.com Calls on Consumers to Join ‘Energy Revolution’ to Compel Ford Motor Co. to Help America Declare Independence from Oil: Ad campaign highlights Ford Motor Co.’s bottom-of-the-barrel fuel efficiency NY Times ad connects Ford gas-guzzlers, Cheney energy policy, and Saudi oil supplies", Media Release, July 11, 2005.
 * Dee-Ann Durbin, "Ford Starts Selling Second Hybrid Vehicle", Washington Post, July 11, 2005. (This is an Associated Press story).
 * Danny Hakim, "With Sierra Club's Help, Ford Pushes a New Hybrid", New York Times, July 12, 2005.
 * Zack Pelta-Heller, "The New Ford Focus", AlterNet, July 19, 2005.
 * Sholnn Freeman, "Ford Abandons Pledge On Hybrid Production", Washington Post, June 30, 2006.
 * Michelle Maynard, "Is Ford Running On Empty?", New York Times, July 16, 2006. (Sub req'd).
 * Michael Bush, "Ford Picks Up PR Points for Declining Auto Bailout: Experts Say Move Plays Well With Recession-Weary Consumers," Advertising Age, December 22, 2008.
 * Paul H. Weaver, The Suicidal Corporation (Touchstone, 1989).